A WOMAN has been charged with causing the death by careless driving of the son of the founders of the Boundary Mill retail chain.

Tom Bannister, 48, died when the Range Rover Vogue he was a passenger in ended up in a field in the Yorkshire Dales.

Debbie Andrea Barker, 42, of Gargrave, also faces two separate charges of failing to report an accident and of driving while over the prescribed limit.

Barker, who has been on police bail following the accident in June is due to make her first appearance in court at Skipton Magistrates on Friday, January 3.

He was the youngest of three sons of Michael and Ethney, who founded Boundary Mill retail chain of stores which started in Colne 30 years ago.

The father-of-one was managing director of The Coniston Hotel, Coniston Cold, which is owned by his family.

Boundary Mill is run by his brother Richard, who lives in Colne.

The Bannister family, who have lived at the Coniston Estate since the late 1960s, were originally from Trawden.

Described as a true and loyal supporter of the countryside and of rural sports who had a passion for life, Tom was a keen follower of point to point racing and was a master of the Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt.

He was also a supporter of Sue Ryder Care Manorlands Hospice, for which he raised more than £150,000 in the last three years of his life.

Since his death, his family has launched the Coniston Cold Racing Club in his memory. The first horse to join the club was Banny’s Lad, named after Tom, and club jockey is his nephew, Harry Bannister.